Take a Breath, Take a Step (Meet Me Down Below)
by ihearttvsnark
Summary: Tumblr Prompt: Captain Swan sort of collapsing into each other's arms after an exhausting ordeal.


A bolt of lightning drops down from the night sky and strikes the target causing it, him, the hell if she knows, to howl, nearly drowning out the crack of electricity that hits the pavement. The ground shakes as the earth opens up and swallows the creature whole as the few people who had still been standing are sent flying.

Emma is thrown in the direction of the library and has enough control of her magic to keep herself from slamming into the building itself. Instead, her body hits the sidewalk hard, bouncing against the fractured concrete as she throws her arms in front of her to protect her face from connecting with the sidewalk.

It hurts like hell and she knows her clothes are not going to do much to protect her from cuts and bruises. Her body already aches in the worst way and she just wants to stay there, sprawled out on the sidewalk and sleep for a month, maybe two. Zelena has turned out to be the gift that just keeps on giving from beyond the grave. She'd had contingency plans that had been popping up in a succession of terrible since the incident with the time portal.

The monster that the lightning bolt incinerated had come from Oz, according to Belle's research. It had been a mini tornado of rocks and ice and smoke and whatever the hell else it swept up in its path as it tore through the town, destroying buildings and cars. Calling the lightning had been Gold's plan and he'd given a detailed explanation of why it would stop it, but Emma didn't care. She is just glad that it had worked.

But once again, Main Street looks like a war zone as Emma manages to lift her head and survey the damage. Trees have been uprooted, cars destroyed, windows blown out as they lured the thing to the middle of the street, the only relatively safe place to bring the kind of power they'd needed. Emma groans, sharp pain shooting through her neck as she attempts to turn her head and see how everyone else has fared.

Gold and Belle are across the street, both still on the ground, but from what she can see, they're not hurt. Leroy is lying across the hood of a car and she spots her parents helping each other up in front of one of the stores. David's head is cut, but she can see him reassuring her mother that he's fine and then both of them are seeking her out. Emma does her best to send them a reassuring smile, but it comes out more like a grimace. She manages to turn her head further, trying to see the other end of the street, but there's too much debris in the way.

"Killian," she whispers, forcing herself to her feet. Pain radiates through every part of her and Emma can feel the aftershocks of her magic pulsing beneath her skin. The temptation to lie on the ground once more is strong, but she fights it and summons what's left of her strength to start walking toward Granny's.

(~)(~)(~)

"Bloody hell," Killian mutters. He's on the ground, half of his face buried in what used to be a vegetable garden outside of Granny's. There's something heavy pressing into the center of his back and his hook is trapped under a pile of rocks that the tornado had tossed out of it as he and Robin had baited the creature inside, attempting to move it in the direction where Regina and Emma were waiting.

The queen had struck it once it tossed them out of its way. Killian saw the fireball of magic light it up and expose its weakness before he'd been slammed into the garden. The lightning had hit a moment later and the ground beneath him had begun to separate. He'd tried to move, but the rocks had kept him in place and then everything had gone dark for a moment when something had landed on his back.

Whatever it was remains and Killian shifts, manages to free his hook and he shoves at the weight with it, startled when he hears a groan. "Apologies, mate," he tells Robin, who glares at him for almost adding to his injuries. The other man gets to his feet and pulls Killian up more roughly than necessary before he rushes to check on Regina.

Ignoring the fact that his body aches so much that he feels each of his three hundred plus years, Killian starts to move in the direction the tornado had gone. He can see the queen is suffering, but she's conscious and Robin won't be leaving her side so Killian keeps walking, dodging the fallen trees and some of the townspeople who are attempting to pick themselves up amongst the debris.

"Emma!" He calls out as he moves around a car that is on its side in the middle of the street. Killian's boots crunch over broken glass as he passes David and Snow helping one of the dwarves, but he can't be bothered to recall which one it is because he finally sees her. She's on the opposite end of the street and she turns her head, somehow sensing that he's there. Killian changes course and moves in her direction, his eyes taking her in to make sure that she's in one piece.

She does the same to him, noting the blood on one side of his face and that he seems to be moving gingerly on his left side. That doesn't stop him from sweeping her into his arms and crushing her body against his chest, his arms holding on to her so tightly that she might have normally complained that he was crushing her, but she is doing the same to him. Emma wraps her arms around him and hangs on for dear life, using every ounce of strength she has left to hold on tight.

"You did it, love," Killian whispers against her hair. Her sweater is torn along her wrists and there are leaves strewn in her golden hair, but she seems to be all right overall. He allows his eyes to fall closed, the rest of his energy seeping out of him now that Emma is safe in his arms.

"_We_ did it," Emma corrects him. She's relieved that his injuries are not serious since she'd been outvoted when the plan called for him to be bait along with Robin and his merry men. But now Killian's head is resting on hers and she presses her ear to his heartbeat, her eyes closing as exhaustion overwhelms her. "Is Regina okay?" she asks.

"Aye," Killian replies, his hand trailing over her back, fingers tangling in her hair as he brushes the leaves away. "Robin is at her side. He's heavier than he looks," he scoffs, planning to remind his friend of that next time they're at the diner.

The comment confuses her and she tiredly files it away for later. "We should see if anyone else needs help." Even as she says the words, she doesn't move from his embrace or open her eyes. Being the savior can wait a few minutes longer. She traces her fingers over his neck, brushing against his hairline and he sighs quietly.

"Perhaps in a moment or two," Killian suggests. He turns his head and presses his lips to her temple, the kiss lingering against her skin and it's her turn to sigh as she finds a way to hug him a little tighter.


End file.
